Bom held her hand out in front of Dara and looked at her reassuringly.

Dara covered herself with her arms and pushed herself back on the bed. Bom and CL and taken her to a room upstairs to check and treat her while the boys remained downstairs.

Cl sighed and sat on the bed slowly not wanting to scare Dara, “…we just want to help you…please.”

Dara blinked nervously and her lips trembled again.

“Please don’t cry” Bom panicked slightly, “please…we can help you. We’ll catch whoever did this to you-“

Dara’s breathing suddenly shortened at the thought of those men out there looking for this very moment. What if they barge into this room and drag her away again? She shook her head and tried to get off the bed.

“Wait stop!” Bom tried to hold onto her but dara pushed her back and scrambled back onto to the bed frightened, “CL! Get help!”

---------------------

“I phoned up the station and they’re sending some men to patrol around the area” TOP said putting his phone back in his pocket, “But it’ll be hard to find a place for the girl to stay this late at night. The social services said they’ll only be able to come by the station tomorrow morning.”

“What do we do with her till then?” Jiyong asked rubbing his head in frustration.

“How about taking her to the hospital?” Seungri suggested.

“It was hard enough getting her into this house, how the hell are we meant to get her to the hospital?” Taeyang asked back.

“Oppa!” CL ran down the stairs, “We need help!”

The boys immediately ran upstairs towards the bedroom where Dara was.

-----------------

“Please I’m not going to hurt you” Bom held her hands out in front of her while Dara scrambled back until she grabbed the lamp on the side table and held it in front of her as a weapon.

“What’s going on?!” Jiyong and the boys stormed into the room.

“AH!” Dara shouted in surprise and dropped the lamp on the floor.

TOP and Daesung stepped forward but Dara stepped back tripping on the lamp and crashing down on the floor banging her head on the wall.

“OH GOD!” Bom shouted and they all ran to help her up.

But this only made it worse and Dara started screaming being crowded by so many people. She tried to hit them back as they tried to help her up, “Agh! AHH!” Dara shouted trying to get away from them all.

“Agashi we’re just trying to help!” Daesung tried to say.

“no…agh…” Dara covered her head with her arms and shrank to the floor.

“Miss-“

“Stop it!” Jiyong growled at them to stop and he pushed them aside. He stood in front of the girl and grimaced, “Get up.”

“Jiyong” Taeyang cringed at th way Jiyong acted, “You’ve got to be gentle with her-“

“Get up” Jiyong repeated again.

Dara slowly peered up nervously and looked at Jiyong as he held his hand out for her. She looked at how everyone stopped rushing towards her after he told them too. Just like how he scared those horrible men away earlier. She looked back down at his hand and furrowed her brows. If he wanted to hurt her, he would have by now. Did this mean he really wasn’t going to hurt her? She looked back at the rest timidly and then back at him.

Jiyong exhaled gruffily “I’m not going to say it again-“, he suddenly stopped when Dara placed her trembling hand in his hand. Jiyong’s face softened slightly but he immediately straightened his expression and pulled Dara up to him before sitting her down on the bed.

“Treat her now” Jiyong said to Bom and turned to walk out when Dara suddenly held onto his shirt. He looked back at the petrified girl and where she was holding.

“I think she wants Jiyong to stay here” Taeyang observed.

Bom looked back at Dara, “…do you want Jiyong here?”

Dara hung her head low but her grip on Jiyong’s shirt tightened.

“Maybe she feels safe with you because you saved her from those men” CL suggested.

“With Jiyong?!” the others asked with surprise. Jiyong was the person everyone would run away from, not the other way around.

Jiyong scowled and looked back at Dara angrily but Dara just looked up at him with pleading and scared eyes and he suddenly felt the tiniest pain deep inside.

Without another word he sat down beside her and turned away from her still irritated. He moved his arm roughly but hit her hand by accident.

“ah” Dara whimpered when he hit her sore arm but she was still too scared to let go of his shirt.

Jiyong looked down at her bruised arm and grimaced. And then to everyone’s surprise he looked at Dara and pointed at his wrist. Dara looked at his wrist puzzled not understanding that he wanted her to hold his arm instead of his shirt.

 Jiyong gritted his teeth in annoyance and grabbed her hand before placing it on his wrist for her to hold.

The others looked at him again with disbelief. They were expecting him to pull his shirt away and storm out, or kick her out because that would make more sense than for Jiyong to help someone.

Jiyong looked up and scowled at the others, “Are you just going to stand there and stare at her! Get out!”

The others apart from Bom hurried out of the room in shock.

“Treat her quickly” Jiyong growled at Bom feeling uncomfortable just being there.

Bom nodded and kneeled in front of Dara and smiled warmly, “Can I?”

Dara looked at Jiyong from the corner of her eye quicky before nodding slowly at Bom.

Bom looked at Jiyong strangely, why was it that Dara felt like she could trust him when everyone wanted nothing to do with the guy? She shook her thoughts and started treating Dara’s wounds.

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“Did you see what I saw?” Seungri asked in disbelief, “Or has hyung changed in the 10 years I’ve been away?”

“He’s still the same” Taeyang replied as they walked into the lounge, “But even I’m shocked at him today.”

“Maybe he just feels sorry for the girl” CL shrugged, “I mean who wouldn’t? Just look at the poor thing.”

TOP shook his head, “We need to catch those guys no matter what. They shouldn’t get away with something like this! Taeyang?”

“Hm?”

“Can you and Jiyong come by the station tomorrow” Top asked, “Just to give your account of the whole incident.”

“No problem TOP” Taeyang nodded, “But I don’t think it’s a good idea for Jiyong to be involved in these matters for business sake. I’ll come alone, in fact let’s go now.”

TOP hesitated slightly and looked back upstairs. He still needed to talk to Bom.

“TOP?” Taeyang asked again.

“Mianhe Tae…I have to do something here first” TOP apologised, “Why don’t you go with Daesung.”

Daesung nodded in agreement, “Neh hyung, I’ll take you to the station.”

“Arasso then. Let Jiyong know where I’ve gone” he replied and walked out with Daesung.

“Oppa?” Cl called TOP, “I don’t think it’s a good idea talking to Bom tonight…”

“Why not?” TOP furrowed his brows.

“Well…” Cl bit her lips, wondering if she should tell him that Bom thinks he’s an absolute jerk.

“I only want to ask her that’s all” TOP sighed, “I’m not hoping for much but I’ve got to try.”

CL looked at him sadly and finally nodded.

TOP looked back upstairs wondering if Bom would be able to help him find his sister.

“Maybe you can drop her home then” CL suggested, “She might open up if you two are alone.”

“You think?” TOP asked back.

CL shrugged, “Oppa I need to warn you though, Bom isn’t like other girls. She’s very introvert and it’ll be hard for you to get anything out of her, especially about the kidnapping. And not to mention she already has a bad impression of you.”

“Bad impression?” TOP furrowed his brows.

CL shook her head, “Never mind…just don’t get your hopes high arasso.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bom bandaged Dara’s ankle gently and stood up, “Let me just clean up that cut on your shoulder and I think you’re all done.”

Bom turned Dara slowly towards Jiyong and she checked the large cut on Dara’s shoulder.

Dara saw how tightly she was holding onto Jiyong’s wrist and her eyes widened as she let go of it. She held onto her hands and placed them on her lap not looking up to meet his eyes.

Jiyong watched her every move and reaction quietly. He didn’t like it. He didn’t like how scared she was. It made him feel uncomfortable.

“I can’t reach the cut completely…can I just pull your shirt slightly-“ Bom suddenly stopped Dara’s shirt half way above her back.

Jiyong looked up at Bom and furrowed his brows at her shocked face, “What’s wrong?”

Bom snapped back to reality and she met his eyes. She looked back down at Dara who still had her head hung low.

“What is it?” Jiyong repeated again, he leaned back and caught a glimpse of what Bom saw. His face fell when he saw long thin scars all across her back.

“…are these…” Bom stuttered, “Are these whip lashes?”

Dara’s eyes suddenly widened and she quickly pulled her shirt back down to cover her scarred back. She looked up nervously at Jiyong and covered herself with her arms.

Jiyong continued to stare at Dara. What did this girl go through?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Thank you Seungri shi for dropping me off but you really didn’t have to” CL said as she unclipped her seatbelt.

“I’d rather see you get home safely” Seungri answered making CL look back in surprise. He quickly looked towards CL’s large house, “This place hasn’t changed one bit.

“How do you know?” Cl suddenly asked.

Seungri stiffened and he smiled, “Ani, I meant Korea not your house.”

“Ah” Cl nodded and smiled back.

“Is your father home?” Seungri suddenly asked.

“Um…no, he’s still in hospital” CL said sadly.

“Don’t worry” Seungri said, “He’ll get better after all he can’t leave yet.”

“Yet?” Cl asked again.

“I mean he can’t leave you on your own” Seungri quickly covered up.

CL tried to smile but now she was feeling that something was just not quite right with him.

Seungri smiled, “Well I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Huh? Oh…yes well thank you again” CL stuttered as she got out of the car.

She stepped back as he waved at her before driving off. She watched his car fade away into the distance and she furrowed her brows, “Lee Seungri…something’s not right.”

------------------

Seungri's smile faded quickly again and his face darkened. He gripped onto his steering wheel and sped off into the night.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TOP walked up the stairs and to the room where Bom was. Just as he was about to knock on the door Bom opened the door. He looked at her strangely when he saw she looked like she was on the verge of crying.

“Are you ok?” TOP asked.

Bom stiffened upon seeing TOP and she looked back into the room where Dara was still sitting on the bed.

Jiyong walked up to them now, “Where are the others?”

“They’ve gone home” TOP replied.

“Even CL?!” Bom cried out.

“Um…yes” TOP nodded, “The thing is I needed to talk to you-“

“No” Bom looked away and she pulled her phone out.

“Please Bom shi-” TOP held the phone but Bom yanked it out and angrily looked at him.

“Even the boys?” Jiyong asked now, “What am I meant to do with her then?!”

Top sighed and looked back into the room, “There’s no point taking her to the station, she’ll just end up sleeping in one of the cells for the night until we can get someone to come in in the morning.”

JIyong raked his hair in frustration.

“I’ll take her with me” Bom said quickly not wanting Jiyong to get angry and scare Dara.

She went back into the room and kneeled in front of Dara“…hi” she whispered and smiled, "…listen…would you like to come and stay with me tonight? Then tomorrow morning we can go to the police station and-“

Dara shook her head frantically at the mention of the police and she turned to look at Jiyong.

“ok…ok” Bom held her hands out, “ok…no police…but still I don’t think you can stay here…”

Jiyong looked at Dara’s pleading eyes and his face hardened.

“Jiyong?” TOP asked but Jiyong kept his gaze on Dara.

“…I won’t hurt you…remember?” Bom said softly again, “I can help you”

Dara’s lips’s trembled and her eyes remained on Jiyong. She couldn’t trust anyone to keep her safe but him. For her own safety she needed him.

“…please” Bom said and she laid her hand on Dara’s hand, “Please…come with me.”

Dara shook her head and begged Jiyong with her eyes.

Bom bit her lips and sighed, “please…you can’t stay here-“

“Let her stay tonight” Jiyong suddenly said.

Bom and TOP both looked back at Jiyong in shock.

Dara looked up at Jiyong wide eyed. Jiyong locked his gaze on her, why was he acting so out of character? Didn’t he promise himself years ago he would not be responsible for anyone anymore, that he wouldn’t care about anyone? So why was he being like this with her? Why did her feel her pain by just looking into her eyes?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“HWAH!” Minzy bolted up from her sleep and she gasped for air. She clutched her racing heart and fumbled to switch the lamp on.

She wiped the cold sweat forming on her forehead and rested her head on wall behind and exhaled heavily.

Another nightmare. The same one she’s had ever since she could remember.

Minzy shook her head and grabbed the bottle of water before walking to the balcony craving for some fresh air again.

She took a gulp of water and clutched onto the railings finally feeling her heart rate return to normal.

She took another gulp of water when suddenly she heard car horn from below and she spat the water in down below by accident.

“WHAT THE HELL?!”

Minzy gasped and looked down to see a guy rub water off his head.

The guy looked up and saw Minzy’s shocked face, “YAH!!”

Minzy stepped back from the balcony and covered her face.

“YAH! I SAW YOU! YAH!!”

Minzy quickly ran back into her flat, she locked the balcony door and jumped back into her bed, shutting her eyes close hoping that guy would just forget her face.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I’m so sorry Bom-ah…something came up and I had to go” CL apologised through the phone.

Bom sighed, “Arasso, since you just got back I’ll forgive you this one time.”

“Thank you” CL smiled, “…how is the girl doing? Are you taking her to the hospital?”

“No” Bom shook her head as she walked towards the gates, “She won’t let anyone go near her.”

“Then where is she?” CL asked.

“Ani, she won’t let anyone near her apart from Jiyong” Bom explained.

“Mwarago?” CL asked in shock.

“And Jiyong wants her to stay at his place for the night” Bom continued.

“This has got to be a joke” CL said in disbelief, “I mean maybe the poor girl feels like that since oppa did save her from those men but what’s unbelievable is that oppa is actually helping her.”

“I don’t know, maybe we should come back tomorrow morning and try to take her to the hospital again” Bom suggested.

“Yea sounds like a plan” CL nodded, “Anyway get home safely neh?”

“Neh” Bom replied and hung up.

“Bom shi!” TOP ran out of Jiyong’s house and called out for Bom.

Bom turned around and gasped before hurriedly running out through the large gates.

“Bom shi!” TOP reached her, “Didn’t you hear me calling you?”

Bom gritted her teeth and looked down the road for a taxi, “Where are all the taxis tonight?!”

“Taxi?” TOP furrowed his brows, “It's ok, I can give you a lift-“

“No thank you” she replied bluntly.

“No really I don’t mind-“

“I said no thank you!” Bom turned to him angrily.

TOP stepped back slightly, when CL said Bom was different he didn’t realise she meant rude.

“Damnit” Bom grumbled before getting her phone out.

“Look I just want to talk to you about the kidnapping” TOP tried again, “My sister-“

“Please!” Bom put her hands together in front of her, “Please TOP just leave me alone!”

TOP blinked slightly, the way she said his name sounded like she knew him already.

“Ok?!” Bom raised her voice, “I don’t want to talk to you. I don’t want anything to do with you!”

“Me?” TOP asked back, “What did I do?!”

Bom looked back at him slightly hurt, “You really don’t remember me?”

TOP blinked, “I know you went to the same school as me. I did a bit of research on you before-“

“Same school?” Bom asked in disbelief, the guy didn’t even know they were in the same class, “I guess I really was invisible back then.”

TOP shook his head, “I really don’t know what you’re on about but I need to talk to you about the kidnapping-“

“The kidnapping?!” Bom asked, “What about it? For the past 18 years I have been asked every single question under the sun about the kidnapping by every single person there is! If you need to know anything then I’m sure you can find whatever you’re looking for with a little more of your research!”

TOP sighed in frustration, “Look Bom shi I’m asking for your help-“

“And I’m telling you I don’t want to help you!” Bom shouted back.

Just then a taxi approached them and Bom quickly hailed it down and jumped in the car without another look and drove off.

“BOM SHI! WAIT!” TOP ran a few meters after the car before kicking the ground with frustration.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jiyong ruffled his hair tiredly and turned back to Dara who was looking at him fretfully from the corner of the bed.

“Get some rest” Jiyong said nonchalantly and turned to leave. He stopped when he heard her moving on the bed and turned back around.

She looked fearful as she looked at him and then the open window in the room. She held onto the bed covers scared to be left alone in the room. What if the men came through the window in the middle of the night?

Jiyong looked at the fear in her eyes and walked to the windows before shutting them and drawing the curtains close.

Dara sank onto the bed slightly feeling better.

“Sleep!” Jiyong said gruffily before walking out of the room.

Dara closed her eyes and clasped her hands together hoping that she was safe at least here. Safe at least with him.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Neh” TOP answered his father's call tiredly as he got out of his car.

“Seunghyun where are you? Are you not coming home tonight?” his father asked.

TOP rubbed his forehead, “I’m sorry dad…I think I’ll just sleep at my place tonight-“

“Your place? You moved back home Seunghyun” his father reminded him.

“I mean the apartment” TOP said, “I’ve got to go to the station early tomorrow, so it’ll be easier for me to stay at my- I mean here for the night. Sorry.”

TOP heard his father sigh heavily on the other end of the phone, “But…I’ll be home tomorrow.”

He had moved back home for his father’s sake but before that this was where he lived. And even after going back home he decided to keep this place. It was the first place he ever got with his own hard earned money. It was slightly smaller than TOP was used to having come from living in mansions and villas but it was comforting and an escape from everything especially his mother.

He put his hands in his pockets and slowly walked to the building when he saw a cab stop slightly in front of him. TOP’s eyes grew wide when he saw Bom step out of the car. He quickly stepped back and hid behind a tree and watched the Bom stand by the road even after the cab left. TOP furrowed his brows and continued watching Bom.

Bom slowly lifted her head towards the night sky and let out a deep sigh. Why did he have to appear in front of her again? After what TOP and his friends did to her at school, why did she have to endure seeing him again?

“If I was going to see him again I should have acted cool” she mumbled as she looked sadly down at the floor now, “He should see me and regret ever doing what he did to me…but he doesn’t even remember me…”

She bit her lip as her heart pained at the thought, “Park Bom…you really are stupid.”

She shook her head and headed straight into the apartment building.

TOP stepped out from behind the tree and wondered what she was mumbling to herself about. And why was she here?

“TOP?”

“Ajhussi” TOP smiled when he saw the security guard for the building.

“I thought you’d left us for good” ajhussi smiled as they walked into the building now.

“Mianhe ajhussi, I’ve just been busy.” TOP apologised, “Ajhussi?”

“Hm?” he replied as he sat down in his station.

“Do we have a new tenant?” TOP asked trying to sound casual about it.

“Neh.”

“Who?!” TOP asked suddenly making the poor man startle.

“Well we’ve had a several-“

“Girls!” TOP said bluntly.

“Girl tenants?…um neh 2” ajhussi nodded, “One is Miss Kim in apartment number 6 and one is Miss Park-“

“Park? Park Bom?” TOP smiled brightly.

“Neh how did you know?” ajhussi asked.

“Which apartment?” Top asked excited about this piece of information.

“Ah, she’s in the apartment below yours-” ajhussi told him.

“Number 2?” TOP grinned widely.

Park Bom may have a problem with him but there was no way she was going to escape him now.